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Op-Ed by John Banks & Héctor Figueroa: Loss of Protected Status Would Hurt Immigrants and New York's Economy

November 10, 2017

Homeland Security is poised to upend the lives of 600,000 U.S. residents

The Department of Homeland Security will soon decide whether thousands of immigrants with temporary protected status will be able to continue to live their lives in the United States. On Monday, DHS signaled that it was moving in the wrong direction when it announced the expiration of TPS for 2,500 Nicaraguans. With more TPS decisions looming, the fate of 320,000 immigrants and their 275,000 American children hang in the balance. The sudden end of TPS could cause a dramatic shift in our economy that would reverberate throughout numerous industries and communities, especially in New York City, where 46% of the workforce is foreign-born...

John H. Banks is the president of the Real Estate Board of New York, a trade association representing major commercial and residential property owners and builders, brokers and managers. Héctor Figueroa is the president of 32BJ Service Employees International Union, a property service workers union representing 163,000 members in 11 states and Washington, D.C.